Telecom & Technology Information (IT)

Probably the most important responsibility Information Technology (IT) has is securing data which includes confidentiality, data integrity, non-repudiation, authentication and accountability. The data can be in motion (data flowing over the internal data-buses or networks) or data at rest (stored on permanent storage devices). In order to have confidence in distributed solutions, there needs to be rigorous testing to assure data remains secure as it moves over the network, as it is processed within the computers and as it is stored on the devices. The only way to obtain a high level assurance on a distributed system is to perform the same bulwark of testing required of any system.

However, in action the devices that comprise the distributed system are scattered across a network, on a variety of different platforms and running different software releases. A major stumbling block to the “sand box” testing is that it exists in a real world with real networks and real computers. This makes it difficult to test for nefarious actors that use malware to accomplish their goals and would be interested in the testing environment.